The Osceola times., 1887-01-15
HOUSED AT LAST.
The Frisco Express Robbers Be-
hind the Bars In st. Louis.
Most ofthe Money Returned to the Express
Compensatory of the Robbery Told ny
Wittrock, alias "Jim Cummings"
-Fotheringham Innocent

train No 4. Missouri Pacific, from Kansas
City, rolled into the Union depot Inc
blizzard was raging furiously and Fred
Wittrock, known to fame as jim Cum
mings, could consistently say sit was
cold day when he got left" No sooner
had the wheels stopped turning than the
Pinkerton party, led by Bob" stepped
out of the sleeper Genoa. After "Bob''
came Operatives Ed Kearney and William
Wilbasky, with sJim" between them.
Superintendent Damsel, Secretary Me-
lay, Marshall Mcdonald and re-
porter made up the rest OF the party.
When the piercing wind struck the prison
er he pulled his slouch hat down over his
eyes, turned up his coat collar and grasp
ing his yellow leather valse with a firm
grip, walked rapidly with his escort to-
ward Poplar street On reaching the
street Wittrock, Bob Pinkerton and two
of the operatives jumped into carriage
and were driven to the office OF the Adams
Express Company. Mr., Pinkerton and
his prisoner stepped into the Office, where
a valise containing about $4,000 OF the
booty was returned to its rightful owners.
The carriage was again called into requisl-
tion, and five minutes later the party
entered the Four Courts Wittrock
WAS taken 10 lne uin'Os Nhtip
he was formally introduced to Chief Hue
bier by Mr. Pinkerton.
The most peculiar feature OF Wittrcck's
makeup is the manner in which he carries
his head. 1t early always inclines to the
left, due to some spinal affection. He was
dressed in heavy, dark overcoat, check
ed sackcoat and vest and jean pantaloons'
There was no jewelry, no diamonds nor
- 20, h.. hn
thief is partial when he has "stuf
The prisoner was turned over TO az OIL
ficer and was taken to the Central station,
where he said his name was Fred Witt
rock, twenty-six years of age single and
born in Canada. He was searched and
five dollars, an openface silver
watch and half dozen punches
Of cigarettes were found in his
possession. He submitted very quietly TO
the searching process, not uttering word
or paying any attention to the throng of
people surrounding him He was taken
down to the calaboose and Mr.. Pinkerton
ordered q breakfast from Hoeffner's for
him After breakfast he was visited by
reporter and asked to make full state
ment Of the conception and execution OF
the robbery He weighed every question
deliberately, laughed occasionally, and did
not talk or appear at all like man for
whom the future had sack-cloth and ashes
ir store. He said:
There are some things that can not
talk about. have made promises not to
speak on certain points, but it will como
out in aday or two"
Have you made a full statement to
Pinkertonr'
II don't like to say anv thing about that.
| don't like to say any thing that will in
jure my friends. To begin with, I'll say
here that Farthingham is innocent, and
my only object in writing the letters was
to prove his innocence. didn't know him
before the night OF October %, though L
I'd heard his name. I've seen IL since,
published Fotheringham, but had IT from
good au nority that his name was Earth
ingham Another thing-the woman had
nothing to do with this job. Mrs. Halght
new nothing about it; Haight knew moth
in about it when the thing was done"
"Can you tell INC oil the occurrences on
the express car on the night OF October
25ri
i'That is one OF the points on which I
can't talk. | want to say about Cook: he
didn't know anything about it until gave
him money"
rs W lttiOtk NpuI NJ
ayes, am twenty-sx years old, born In
Canada and moved to Leavenworth in
1869. ] went to school there and for six
years kept books for Burdette q Hise Mr..
Burdette is q prominent Odd-Feuow. |
left Leavenworth about two years ago and
went TO Chicago, where went into a small
coal business. am not married man,
though my ncIghbors in Chicago thought |
was | came TO st. Louis about week be-
fore the robbery and rented room at Mrs
| Bcrry's. Weaver was with me- but few
DAYS before the business was done he
weakened and went back to Chicago. |
went by the name of Williams at Mrs
| Berry's. | see it is said that Cook was
| with me there, but that is a mistake. Cook
was in Kansas City at the time
care the statements of Morarity truer'
What are theyin
"He says he was offered inducements TO
| GO into the scheme, and for 5000 would
| tell all he knew
"Well, If he said that, he is dirt y
scoundrel. IT'S true that he promised to
assist me, but when the time came he
weakened and wouldn't keep the appoint
ment, When | made up my mind to do
| the work | picked out the smallest mes
senger on the road TO hold up. His name
was Hart, and | would have got him only
for the porter, who stopped in the car un-
| til after it had started That was the
Wednesday before the Monday the job was
| done. Next night / didn't know Fother-
ingham's name, and had to wait until
| Monday to fix things. Then Weaver weak
ened, and. though tried my best TO stiffen
him up, it was no use, and he skipped
back to Chicago. | made up my mind to
| go it alone, and so about seven O'Clock
that night ! went down to the depot II
was kind of rainy, and kept shady, and
didn't speak to any one
"Dd you speak TO Wabash engineerw
"No, / did not, He is mistaken, or else
he is lying, il he said | spoke TO him.
walked to the express car and got in the
side door,
'The engineer says Fotheringham helped
you i'm
''well, be didn't jumped in and gave
aim the letters.n
"What became OF the lettersin
''That will be explained in few days.
"Dd Fotheringham say anythingp
ayes. He said, III you amt caught
they'll fire me up to the Four Courts and
he was about right. As | said, the only
reason wrote the letters to the Rcpub,icin
and Globe was to prove him innocent Tho
Giobe treated me dirty mean by fixing up
my letter as if it was pack of lies. So |
wrote another in Kansas City just Before
j left for the South, telling the editor of
the mean way he had treated me, and
putting in more facts TO show Fothering-
hams innocence. This was buried out in
the prairie, and left instructions with a
friend Of mine TO mail il after got three
or four days start. Well, he was shad-
oWed so closelY by dnieciivas that he